Easterby downcast as Hoof It is blown away by Margot Did

From the off the well-backed 11-4 favourite Hoof It trained by Mick Easterby at Sheriff Hutton, North Yorkshire, never looked like landing a blow, missing the break and finishing a distant sixth.

“It’s all over,” muttered a visibly downcast Easterby.

Margot Did travelled well throughout the five-furlong sprint, and found plenty when asked to quicken in the last furlong to draw clear of the field and take the Group One by three quarters of a length.

A delighted Turner said: “I’m overwhelmed, I can’t believe it, it’s the best season ever.

“It just goes to show if you work hard and are dedicated it can be done. I thought maybe a Group One would be stretching her (Margot Did) ability-wise, but obviously not.

“She’s always been special to me, but I’ve only really just figured how to get the best out of her.

“She loves plenty of daylight. She has one gear for the end and you have to save it for as long as you can. The longer you can wait on her, the better.

“It was just amazing, and I’m so thrilled for the owners.”

Bell credited a change in tactics for the success of the three-year-old.

He said: “Last year she was probably quite unlucky in the Lowther and then this year we found the key to riding her at Sandown when we found that she is happy bowling along and (yesterday) from a long way out she was one of the few on the bridle.

“I thought it was going to be tough for a three-year-old filly only getting 2lb, but she delivered.”

The Prix de L’abbaye on Arc day is the target for runner-up Hamish Mcgonagall trainer Tim Easterby.

“We couldn’t have asked any more from him to do what he’s just done,” said Easterby.

“He wouldn’t get the six-furlong trip at Haydock in the Betfred Sprint Cup so we’ll go for the Abbaye now.”

Prohibit and the 2007 winner Kingsgate Native filled the placings in a race where the market leaders failed to land a blow.

The Easterby family enjoyed better fortune in the opening race when Crackentorp defied odds of 33-1 to take the spoils under David Allan.

Trainer Tim Easterby explained that having missed out on running in the Ebor, he was forced to run Crackentorp in Friday’s opener.

“He was balloted out of the Ebor so this race was the obvious choice. He got murdered in the first furlong at Carlisle last time and I didn’t see him after that. He’s tough, he battles, and he loves it here,” stated Easterby.

On a day when the talents of racing’s male jockeys was seen to good effect, it was left to Turner – currently the top female jockey in Britain – to show she is more than a match for the male counterparts.